The Odesa Polytechnic National University is one of Ukraine’s oldest engineering training institutions. During the years of its existence, the Odesa Polytechnic National University contributed to the development of Ukrainian and global science and technology as well as succeeded in training skilled experts for the national economy.
History
Odesa Polytechnic National University, affiliated with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, was founded in 1918 and stands as the oldest institution of technical higher education in Southern Ukraine. An idea to open a higher polytechnical school in the city was first broached before the First World War; among its most active proponents was a mathematics professor at New Russia University Ivan Tymchenko. Founded as a municipal institution, Odesa Polytechnical Institute was financed by the Odesa city council and was officially recognized by the government of Hetman Pavlo Skoropadsky on 31 August 1918.
During the Second World War much of the institute’s teaching and research infrastructure (including 60 percent of its training shops) was plundered by the Nazi occupiers. Some of OII facilities and faculty members were evacuated to Penza in the Ural region of RSFSR, where they formed a basis for Penza State University. In spring 1944, OII was reopened in Odesa. In 1945 it was reorganized again into a polytechnical institute (OPI). By the end of the decade its damaged buildings were restored and expanded.
OPI continued to be a leading polytechnical school in independent Ukraine. In 1992 it developed its own computer network connected to the Internet, one of the earliest higher educational institutions in Ukraine to do so. In 1993 it received the state university status with enhanced autonomy and was renamed Odesa State Polytechnical University (ODPU). It emerged as a main entity in the newly created teaching and research complex ‘Polytechnical University’ that provided pre-college training to secondary school students of around 50 colleges, tekhnikums, gymnasiums, lyceums, and schools located chiefly in Odesa and Odesa oblast.
In 2001 ODPU was granted the status of a national institution of higher education. In 2020 it merged with Sevastopol National Technical University and in 2021 assumed its current name: Odesa Polytechnic National University.
University Today
With over a century of academic tradition, Odesa Polytechnic National University has earned a distinguished reputation, highlighted by the presence of a Nobel Prize laureate and 20 recipients of the State Prize of Ukraine among its faculty members.
The university’s academic structure includes 15 educational and scientific institutes and faculties, supported by 64 academic departments. Additionally, it comprises three affiliated colleges and one higher vocational school. Odesa Polytechnic National University provides comprehensive higher education at all levels, offering 36 bachelor’s degree specialties with 76 educational programs, 29 master’s degree specialties with 62 programs, 22 PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) specialties, and 15 Doctor of Sciences specialties.
The university fosters strong international collaboration through various academic mobility and dual-degree programs, partnering with institutions in Austria, Bulgaria, Spain, China, Germany, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Sweden. These initiatives provide students and faculty with opportunities for study, internships, and joint research abroad.
Odesa Polytechnic National University is internationally recognized and holds membership in several prominent global academic organizations, including the European University Association (EUA), the International Association of Universities (IAU), the Eurasian Universities Union (EURAS), the European Nuclear Education Network (ENEN), NUGENIA (Nuclear Reactors II and III Generations Association), and STAR-NET (European Regional Network for Education and Training in Nuclear Technology). The university also proudly hosts a UNESCO Chair, reinforcing its commitment to global scientific and educational cooperation.
Odesa Polytechnic National University offers a dynamic and supportive campus environment. Its scientific and technical library features five reading halls, a collection of over 1.2 million titles, an electronic library, and free Wi-Fi zones. The Students’ Palace of Culture includes a 1,000-seat auditorium and hosts pop, dance, and theater performance studios. The university’s extensive sports complex comprises seven specialized gyms, a swimming pool, a shooting gallery, a stadium, tennis courts, and various sports fields. Students also enjoy access to a sports and recreation campus located in the ecologically clean area of Carolino-Bugaz, as well as on-campus healthcare through the student polyclinic and sanatorium-preventorium.
Educational and scientific institutes
- Institute of Humanities
- Institute of Energy
- Institute of Electrical Engineering and Electromechanics
- Institute of Economics and Management
- Institute of Information Security, Radio Electronics and Telecommunications
- Institute of Computer Systems
- Institute of Medical Engineering
- Institute of Public Service and Administration
- Institute of Chemical Technology and Pharmacy
- Institute of Digital Technologies, Design and Transport
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
- Institute of Distance and Correspondence Education
- Ukrainian-Spanish Institute
- Ukrainian-German Institute
- Ukrainian-Polish Institute
- Educational Institution of Foreign Citizens Training
Accommodation
The Student Campus of Odesa Polytechnic National University is a structural unit of the university under its direct management. It comprises seven student dormitories equipped with public dining facilities, medical services, sports infrastructure, and household amenities. According to sanitary regulations, the campus can accommodate up to 4,442 residents.
As the largest student campus in Odesa, it houses over 3,500 students and postgraduate students in a safe, inclusive, and comfortable environment. The university guarantees 100% accommodation for all students and postgraduates who require housing.
The dormitories offer everything necessary for both living and studying. Each building features fully furnished rooms, reading rooms, high-speed internet access, and quiet areas for self-study. Shared kitchens, laundry facilities, and recreation areas are also available to support students’ everyday needs. The campus promotes a balanced student life with easy access to sports centers, cultural events, healthcare services, and student dining.
Living on campus fosters a vibrant community where students from different backgrounds interact, collaborate, and participate in extracurricular activities, building friendships and valuable life experiences.